Moringa oleifera has gained increasing popularity as a food supplement but not in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic area. The aim of this study was the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of extracts from the leaves of Moringa oleifera as a herbal sun care phytocomplex. Three different extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves, from Senegal, have been prepared and chemically characterized in the phenolic fraction by HPLC-DAD and Folin–Ciocalteu test. To explore photoprotective properties, an extensive evaluation of UV filtering, antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP, ORAC, PCL), and anti-hyperproliferative (human melanoma Colo38 cells) capacities have been conducted. Furthermore, a formulation study regarding cosmetic prototypes has been carried out in order to determine the Sun Protection Factor (SPF), which was assessed in vitro. The extracts were demonstrated to confer significant values of protection, with an SPF 2, that corresponds to a 50% protection against UV-B rays, at concentrations as low as 2% to 4%. Finally, the evaluation on potential irritation of the finished formulations was conducted by Patch Test and no significant irritant potential was observed. These evidence enlarged the already significant number of activities and potential uses of this plant, which is well-known for its importance in the medicinal and nutritional fields.

In this study we analyzed the microRNA profile of cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchial epithelial IB3–1 cells infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa by microarray and quantitative RT-PCR, demonstrating that microRNA 93 (miR-93), which is highly expressed in basal conditions, decreases during infection in parallel with increased expression of the IL-8 gene. The down-regulation of miR-93 after P. aeruginosa infection was confirmed in other bronchial cell lines derived from subjects with and without CF, namely CuFi-1 and NuLi-1 cells. Sequence analysis shows that the 3′-UTR region of IL-8 mRNA is a potential target of miR-93 and that the consensus sequence is highly conserved throughout molecular evolution. The possible involvement of miR-93 in IL-8 gene regulation was validated using three luciferase vectors, including one carrying the complete 3′-UTR region of the IL-8 mRNA and one carrying the same region with a mutated miR-93 site. Up-modulation of IL-8 after P. aeruginosa infection was counteracted in IB3–1, CuFi-1, and NuLi-1 cells by pre–miR-93 transfection. In addition, IL-8 was up-regulated in uninfected cells treated with antagomiR-93. Our results support the concept of a possible link between microRNA expression and IL-8 induction in bronchial epithelial cells infected with P. aeruginosa. Specifically, the data presented here indicate that, in addition to NF-κB–dependent up-regulation of IL-8 gene transcription, IL-8 protein expression is posttranscriptionally regulated by interactions of the IL-8 mRNA with the inhibitory miR-93.